The Voice of Independent Accommodation Providers

Visit Carlisle Cumbria and the surrounding villages and stay in bandb, hotel or holiday apartment accommodation provided by BedPosts members.

Visit the award-winning Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery with its interactive displays to learn about the history of Carlisle in Cumbria. It traces the history of the city from pre-Roman times; there are natural history displays; you can write on Roman wax tablets, shoot a crossbow, or descend a mine tunnel.

Carlisle Castle dates from 1092 when the first castle was built by William II. The keep survives but many of the battlements were added by Henry VIII for his artillery. See the gatehouse room decorated in medieval style and the warren of chambers and passageways. Mary, Queen of Scots was imprisoned here.

Also here is the Museum of the Border Regiment displaying its collection of weaponry, uniforms, medals and other personal items.

Carlisle Cathedral was founded In 1122, originally as a priory, but became a cathedral under Henry I in 1132. See the superb high ceiling and the stained glass dating from the 14th century.

The Fratry was a 13th-century monastic common room and now contains the cathedral library and the Prior's Kitchen Restaurant.

The 13th-century Prior's Tower was used as a place of refuge from Scottish raiders. Inside the tower is a ceiling with 45 panels, hand-painted in 1510.

St Cuthbert's Church was originally built in the 12th century although the present buildings date from the 1778. The most unusual feature is a pulpit that moves, mounted on rail tracks.

The tithe barn, now the church hall, was used to house the tithes or taxes, paid in the form of wool, grain or straw.

The city walls give some idea of area in Roman times, as they were built - about 1000 years after Hadrian's Wall - around the remains of the Roman town. The West Walls are the best surviving examples.

Carlisle's timber-framed Guildhall was built in 1404 and now houses the Guildhall Museum.